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We review the present status of surgery for Parkinson's disease. Surgical options for Parkinson's disease are rapidly spanding.

The main objectives of surgical techniques are to restore the dopaminergic deficit in the striatum (transplantation) and to normalize the neuronal activity of the subthalamic-pallidal circuit (pallidotomy and deep brain stimulation). Whereas cell transplantation is still considered an experimental procedure, ablative procedures and deep brain stimulation are widely used. Both types of surgical procedures are supported by strong scientific data. However, much work remains to be done in order to understand several aspects not clearly elucidated at present.

The results and current indications for pallidotomy and deep brain stimulation are analyzed.